Concerned that the effects of sleep aids, such as Ambien, may cause drowsy driving well into the next morning, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will ask drug manufacturers to conduct more extensive driving tests of all new anti-insomnia drugs, the New York Times has reported.
“The FDA is taking heightened interest in the issue, as new evidence suggests what many people have long suspected: the effects of common prescription sleep aids like Ambien can persist well into the next day,” the article states. “Of particular concern,” it said, is “whether people who take the drugs before bed can drive safely the next morning.”
The article notes that consumer advocates have long warned of a possible connection between sleeping pills and car accidents.
According to the Times, physicians wrote nearly 60 million prescriptions for sleep aids in 2012, and a 2007 federal survey found that nearly 5% of daytime drivers have tested positive for prescription or over-the-counter medication.
The Times reports that Dr. Ronald Farkas, the clinical team leader for the FDA’s division of neurology products, told a recent industry conference that it’s good advice “that if you feel impaired, don’t drive.” But, he cautioned, you might still be impaired even if you feel fine.
